If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
LAL +3: Championship teams are separated from the pack when they go on the road. LAL have not been super impressive the first two games but they still do enough to win. Expect about the same as OKC plays its first playoff game. Kobe was amazing on Tuesday going for 39, tonight he will do about the same as he keeps LA in it most of the game. Three point shooting for LAL has been really bad outside of Kobe, expect it to get much better tonight. Lakers win in a very close one!
I'm on an 84-62-3 FREE play run and tonight I've got a winner for you on the National League diamond as I go with the Dodgers to get the win in Cincinnati against the Reds.
I’m going with the hard-hitting Dodgers in the rubber-match of this series as they have been just tearing the cover off the ball lately.
Los Angeles has scored five runs or more in eight of their last 10 contests and just wiped out the Reds on Wednesday, winning 14-6 and getting big hits from Rafael Furcal, Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp – who has been the hottest bat in the National League this season.
The Dodgers have won four of their last six while Cincinnati has dropped six of their last seven overall.
On the hill today for Los Angeles is Vicente Padilla (1-1, 8.04 ERA) who was solid in his last outing at home against the Giants, allowing three runs on four hits over seven innings and striking out seven in a 10-8 Dodgers’ victory. As a starter with the Rangers, and previously the Phillies, Padilla and his teams won five of six starts against the Reds.
Mike Leake (0-0, 2.63 ERA) is on the hill for the Reds, allowing four runs in 13.2 innings of work this season. He allowed three runs on seven hits in a 4-3 loss to the Pirates on Friday and his big problem this season has been walks, as he’s allowed 12 base-on-balls, while striking out just eight. If he walks several Dodgers, their big bats will certainly make him pay.
Los Angeles has won eight of its last 11 in Cincinnati and 16 of 21 on Thursday. The Reds are 8-23 against N.L. West teams and 1-4 as a ‘dog. Love the Dodgers tonight, lay the chalk with Los Angeles.
2? L.A. DODGERS
Looking for the sweep in this early game, I love the Twins with Scott Baker toeing the slab for the surging Twins.
The right-handed, flyball pitcher is 5-0 with a 2.66 ERA in his last seven against the Indians. And today's outing could be the easiest of them all. The Indians rank last in the majors in batting average (.215) and near the bottom in runs (46).
Baker's quick, short arm action becomes effective with his a sneaky 90- to 94-mile per hour heater that has late life up in the zone. He has a knack for commanding his fastball to both sides of the dish, and knows when to mix in a curveball to both lefthanded and righthanded batters. He's also capable of throwing a short, late-breaking slider and an above-average changeup.
Baker, who tends to work ahead in the count , was effective for the second straight outing in a victory over the Royals at Target Field, where he allowed two runs and struck out six during a 10-3 victory on Friday. He only threw 92 pitches against Kansas City, and that was after giving up just one run in his previous start against the White Sox in a 2-1 win.
He should get plenty of run support from the Twins, who are batting .290 and averaging 6.0 runs while going 6-2 at their new outdoor stadium.
Cleveland has been asked to cover double-digits twice in the first 2 games of this series. They were successful in Game One, winning by 13 as the 11 1/2-point favorite. They just missed in Game Two, winning by 10 points as the 10 1/2-point favorite.
Tonight the venue changes, but I don't see the result changing, as the Cavaliers appear to be a man up in each position on the court in this series. Chicago had Game Two deadlocked on Monday, only to see the Cavaliers outscore them by 10 in the final quater of play.
The Cavs have recorded a 22-18-1 road spread mark this season, and outright they have gone 26-15 on the highway this year.
Cleveland has taken Chicago's best shot, and they have still won by double-digits twice. I just don't see anything changing tonight, even on Chicago's home hardwood.
Cavs minus the points for the road win and cover as King James and Co. put a stranglehold on this series.
5? CLEVELAND
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves
Play: Atlanta Braves
Moyer is 2-5 with a 5.46 ERA vs Atlanta. Father time may have finally caught up with Moyer as he has been terrible to start the year, going 1-1 with 7.50 ERA giving up 15 hits in 12 innings. After facing Big Boy Roy last night, it is going to seem like facing double A pitching tonight with the junk throwing Moyer on the hill.
Comment